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IN BRIEF - NEW FRILLED GIANT PACIFIC OCTOPUS DISCOVERED IN ALASKA

UNITED STATESThursday, January 04, 2018

Scientists have discovered a new species of giant Pacific octopus swimming right under their noses. Suspected for years, this is the first time researchers have confirmed the species both genetically and visually.

Called the frilled giant Pacific octopus, the mysterious creature has a bumpy ridge across its body, weird fleshy “eyelashes” and two white spots on its head.

Scientists published two papers on the species in the American Malacological Bulletin in November; one on its genetics and one on its body patterns. The research is part of Alaska Pacific University’s Alaska Octopus Project.

The existence of another species has been suspected since at least 2012, Earther reports. Alaska Pacific University and U.S. Geological Survey researchers found different DNA among giant Pacific octopuses in Alaska’s Prince William Sound. After taking tissue samples, the scientists released the animals back into the wild.

This left the task of visual identification to Nathan Hollenbeck. He cataloged the distinguishing features of the species as part of his undergraduate senior thesis at Alaska Pacific University.

The owners of an aquaculture enterprise in Stephenville say there is no need for them to add more sea cages to correspond with a planned expansion of their hatchery.

Northern Harvest Smolt, an affiliate of Marine Harvest, has registered plans to modernize and expand on the land-based salmon hatchery with the provincial government for environmental assessment.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Coalition for Aquaculture Reform, a group opposed to the project, issued a press release earlier this week that alleged Marine Harvest was illegally splitting the project by not also registering plans to expand its marine-based farming operations.

London - The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is proud to announce the five winners of the latest round of its scholarship program, including a project to study Arctic food webs, trials to monitor lobster stocks off the coast of Scotland and a project to monitor fish aggregating devices (FADs) in small-scale Indonesian tuna fisheries.

The program provides funding of up to GBP 4,000 per student to support research looking at environmental improvement, supply chain management or best practice in fisheries management. 2017’s winners have already started contributing to ocean sustainability, with their research providing new data and insights into the trade flow of octopus across East Africa, and the effectiveness of LED lights on turtle bycatch in Kenya.

MANILA – The 17th Congress will go on a 12-day break this August to allow President Rodrigo Duterte to sign an executive order (EO) reducing tariffs or taxes on imported fish and corn.

House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya was asked on Monday, August 13, why Congress will be suspending session from August 16 to 27. Under the legislative calendar, Congress usually opens a regular session starting July then adjourns for about a month from mid-October to mid-November.

"One of the reasons would be to allow the President to zero out or reduce the tariffs.... For now, [on imported] fish and corn," said Andaya, who is also Camarines Sur 1st District representative.

Authorities in the German city of Münster have been pumping millions of gallons of water into a lake in an effort to save local fish, as a searing heatwave kills algae vital to their survival.

Twenty tons of fish were found dead in Aasee lake earlier this week, victims of the unseasonably warm summer gripping much of Europe and North America. The extreme temperatures has killed the lake’s green algae, which produces oxygen required for the fish to survive.

According to Deutsche Welle, almost 925,000 gallons of oxygenated water were being pumped into Aasee each hour this weekend to push oxygen levels up and save the aquatic animals. The additional water supply will end on August the 13th of 2018.

PUTRAJAYA - The Fisheries Department has upgraded its analysis of antibiotics and tightened the Sanitation and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures as well as disease inspections at the country’s entry points following reports of freshwater prawns dumping recently.

The department, in a statement issued today, said a joint committee on import and export has been established by the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry together with the Ministry of Health, to discuss the issues from time to time, particularly when there was dumping of prawns from the neighbouring countries.

“The department will also implement monitoring and briefing programmes from time to time to the stakeholders and the public through the industrial consultative council to address this issue apart from acting as a facilitator to registered importers and exporters.

As the water and sanitation crisis on the Vaal River and its catchment escalates, two government departments have issued a joint statement denying a positive link between mass fish mortality and raw sewage flowing into the river.

Reports over the past weeks have shown fish kills as evidence of sewage discharge into tributaries on the north bank of the Vaal River, and linked that to health risks to millions of people and a constraint to development.

The presence of excessive levels of E.coli in the river is linked to disease outbreaks in especially poorer communities and threatens the phytosanitary status of export farmers who irrigate from the river.

PANJIM - The Taleigao gram sabha on Sunday resolved to urge the State government to stop imports and exports of fish while also demanding the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) or the Municipality to set up a counter in the Panjim market to carry out regular checks.

Gram sabha member Xavier Almeida said, “Export should be banned and Fisheries department should introduce counters to sell fresh fish at affordable rates. Also rotten fish should not be allowed to sell and there should be a check by authorities.”

He said, “At the moment there is no control on price and the hygiene. Also the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) or the Municipality should set up a counter in the Panjim market in a bid to carry our regular checks.”

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - On August 7, 2018, The Bahamas’ spiny lobster fishery became the first Caribbean fishery to earn certification from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the leading global standard for wild-caught seafood environmental performance. Beaver Street Fisheries (BSF) and its subsidiary, Tropic Seafood Ltd., are proud and honored to have played a role in this initiative, in order to achieve this accomplishment for the fishery.

Over the past decade, Tropic Seafood has participated in the collaborative efforts to lead this major fishery improvement project (FIP) in the Bahamas. Tropic Seafood Ltd. has worked collaboratively with Bahamas Marine Exporters Association (BMEA), the Department of Marine Resources (DMR) of the Bahamas, and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to address fishing practices and environmental impacts to help the lobster fishery thrive for generations to come.

“The goal of our fishery improvement projects is to ensure the long term sustainability of a fishery and to reach the Marine Stewardship Council standard. The Marine Stewardship Council is one of the most rigorous certification standards out there for well managed and responsible seafood,” said Wendy Goyert, a spokesperson for the World